Last Weeks Speaker was Matt Frater
A painter by trade with his own business with 3 staff, he says it is the painting business pays the bills and allows him to work 2 days a week at Tawa College for the Tawa Youth and Families Trust.
The umbrella organisation 24-7 Youthwork is a youth Focussed but not necessarily a Christian based organisation but Christian guided. It has 175 workers Nationwide reaching out to 72000 students nationally and locally 24-7 is working in 11 schools across the greater Wellington region.
Matt Katie and Fergus over past 3 years at Tawa College have built up a good reputation
A day in the life
Structured around an event, sandwich day on Wednesday
Goal to feed those in need without stigma. This atkes 20 loaves of bread 6-8 large jars of hazelnut spread. These Sandwich days allow Matt Katie and Fergus to touch base with many students each time
Matt noted that they are not councillors but support people, they provide mentoring and generally helping teenagers.
They also run group programs
Aspire group, year 10 students adventure based learning chosen by the Deans
Team building or leadership activities some adventure learning at Raurimu
Travellers, a Resiliency program created by Skylight
All year 9 students fill out a survey
Work with medium risk group that could have flown under the radar
Mentoring
Check in on students we have got to know
Students referred by councillors for various reasons, too may students, not critical enough, just need some time out
Matt told us that COVID has heightened sense of tension, mixed experiences at home negative self-talk. (I don’t think the Students are alone with that Ed.)
Finally Matt told us about working with a new toolbox to combat the tall poppy syndrome.
The program ambassador is Sir Steve Hansen and the program is called.
E Tu Tangata
It has 3 key values,
You have value, we succeed together, others matter
Stand together
Me us you
